Crash of a Douglas AC-47D Spooky near A Rơh: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 13, 1966
Operator:
Registration:
43-49268
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Đà Nẵng - Đà Nẵng
MSN:
15084/26529
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew departed Đà Nẵng on a reconnaissance mission. Contact was lost few minutes after takeoff but it is believed the airplane was shot down by enemy fire and probably crashed in an isolated area located in the region of A Rơh, near the Laotian border, about 80 km southwest of Đà Nẵng. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.
Crew:
Cpt Howard William Henninger,
Cpt Robert Edward Pasekoff,
Cpt Gerald Everett Olson,
S/Sgt Marshall Irvin Pauley,
S/Sgt Gene Edmond Davis,
T/Sgt Edwin Everton Morgan,
Sgt Dean Arnold Duvall.
Probable cause:
It is believed the aircraft has been shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Douglas AC-47D in the Shau Valley: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1966 at 1300 LT
Operator:
Registration:
44-76290
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Đà Nẵng - Đà Nẵng
MSN:
15874/32622
YOM:
1945
Flight number:
Spooky 70
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew departed Đà Nẵng Airport on a supply mission to the A Shau Special Forces Camp. While flying at low height, the aircraft was hit by enemy fire. The right engine was on fire and later detached. The pilot-in-command elected to make an emergency landing in the valley. Three crew members were able to evacuate the area while three others were killed by enemy soldiers.
Crew:
Cpt Willard Marioins Collins, †
1st Lt Delbert Ray Peterson, †
1st Lt J. L. Meek,
S/Sgt J. G. Brown,
S/Sgt Robert Eugene Foster, †
S/Sgt J. Turner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Fairchild C-123B-13-FA Provider near Khe Sanh: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 3, 1966
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
55-4537
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
20198
YOM:
1955
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in an jungle located about 16 km from Khe Sanh, near the Laos border, while on a supply mission. An extensive SAR mission was conducted for several days but no trace of the aircraft nor the four crew members was ever found.
Crew:
Maj James Louis Carter,
Cpt Wilbur Ronald Brown,
A1C Edward Milton Parsley,
A1C Therman Morris Waller.
Probable cause:
It is believed the aircraft was shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Lockheed KC-130F Hercules off Đồng Hới: 6 killed

Date & Time: Feb 1, 1966
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
149809
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
3709
YOM:
1962
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
While returning from a supply mission, the aircraft exploded in midair and crashed into the sea some 24 km off Đồng Hới. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt. Albert Michael Prevost,
Maj Richard Andrew Alm,
G/Sgt Galen Francis Humphrey,
Sgt Peter George Vlahakos,
S/Sgt Donald Leroy Coates,
S/Sgt Russell Burr Luker.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. It is possible the aircraft may have been shot down by enemy fire but this was not proven. A possible technical failure may occur in flight, causing the aircraft to explode.

Crash of a Fairchild C-123K Provider in An Khe: 46 killed

Date & Time: Jan 25, 1966 at 1015 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
54-0702
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
An Khe – Bong Son
MSN:
20151
YOM:
1954
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
42
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
46
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed An Khe on a mission to Bong Son, carrying a crew of four and 42 troops of the 1st Air Cavalry Division who were being taken to Bong Son to take part in Operation Masher, the first division-size search and destroy mission of the war. After takeoff, the airplane encountered difficulties to gain height and 10 minutes later, while in clouds, the right wing struck trees. On impact, the right engine and six meters of the right wing were torn off. Out of control the airplane crashed in a wooded area located 10 km from An Khe, killing all 46 occupants.
Crew:
Cpt Harry Richard Crumley,
Cpt Edward Clarence Handly,
S/Sgt Leonard Williams,
S/Sgt Richard Duane Youtsey.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the right engine failed during initial climb, probably after a concentration of magnesium ignited, causing huge damages to the nacelle and the carburetor. It was reported that the crew encountered technical issues with the right engine that failed twice prior to departure. Contributing factors were poor maintenance and poor weather conditions with low clouds down to 300 feet with a limited visibility. The crew was forced to initiate the flight under VFR mode which was not appropriate in such weather conditions.

Crash of a Grumman S2F-3 Tracker into the Gulf of Tonkin: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1966
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
149252
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
93
YOM:
1957
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
On the night of 21/22 January 1966, the Tracker was launched from USS Hornet to provide surveillance cover for the SAR destroyers that operated close to the North Vietnamese coastline and which were occasionally challenged by enemy patrol boats and small craft. Under the control of a guided missile destroyer, the USS Berkeley, the Tracker was investigating an unidentified radar screen. Within a few hours of the aircraft's disappearance Hanoi Radio reported that a US aircraft had been shot down in the Gulf of Tonkin to the south of Bach Long Vi Island. The time was good at the time of the loss and the sea was very calm, which might have made depth perception difficult for the crew. An extensive search was conducted in the Gulf for days, afterwards and on 1 February a four-man liferaft from the Tracker was picked up some 150 miles from the aircraft's last known position. On 14 March Lt Templin's flying helmet was found in the same area as the raft. However, no trace of the crew was ever found and they were all declared dead in 1975.
Crew:
Lt William Stannard Forman,
Lt Erwin Bernard Templin,
SN Edmund Henry Frenyea,
SA Robert Russell Sennett.
Source: Chris Hobson

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL near Vi Thanh

Date & Time: Jan 14, 1966 at 0740 LT
Operator:
Registration:
B-929
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Saigon – Vi Thanh
MSN:
19496
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While descending to Vi Thanh Airfield, the twin engine aircraft was shot down by enemy fire and crash landed in an open field located 18 km north of the city. All three occupants escaped the accident but both pilots were executed by North Vietnam soldiers while the passenger was interned.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Fairchild C-123B-12-FA Provider near An Khe: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 13, 1966
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
55-4519
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
20180
YOM:
1955
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
On a night supply mission, while cruising at an altitude of 1,200 feet, the airplane collided with a USAF Douglas A-1E Skyraider registered 52-133989 carrying one pilot who was pulling up into the path of the Provider following a VC position attack. Both aircraft went out of control and crashed near An Khe. All seven crew members in both aircraft were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Warren Lester Anderson,
Cpt Herman Hiram Ritchie,
T/Sgt Thomas Anthony Fodaro,
T/Sgt Irwin Lewis Hoffman,
S/Sgt Byron Hugh Crotwell,
S/Sgt Edward Joseph Hincewicz.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the collision could not be determined with certainty. However, it was reported that the Provider was not equipped with suitable instruments for a night mission (insufficient avionics). A poor ground radar coverage was also considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Fairchild C-123B-9-FA Provider in Saigon

Date & Time: Jan 9, 1966
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
54-0676
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
20125
YOM:
1954
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, the crew contacted ground and obtained the permission to divert to Saigon-Tan Son Nhat for an emergency landing after an in-flight. After landing, the airplane came to rest in flames and was destroyed while both pilots escaped uninjured. The cause of the fire was probably a sabotage but this was not proven.
Probable cause:
In-flight fire in the cargo compartment for undetermined reason.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130B Hercules in An Khe

Date & Time: Jan 9, 1966
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
61-0970
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Saigon - An Khe
MSN:
3667
YOM:
1962
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After touchdown at An Khe Airport, the airplane went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest. All five crew members were uninjured while the aircraft was written off. The airplane was completing a resupply mission from Saigon.